Letters: Tertiary education going back to the old days

The proposed new tertiary education system sounds like a move 'back to the bad old days', a reader says

The proposed new tertiary education system to be introduced by Government sounds very much like 'back to the bad old days'.

Having had extensive experience in both systems of central control and local control, local wins hands down every time.

The current financial difficulties some polytechnics are having is in the main caused by the way they are financed by the Government.

lt has been a cause for concern for a number of years, fix that and leave the administration and decision making in local competent hands that will meet the need of students and industry far better than any central control system.

Treasury has expressed alarm at the paper the new system is promoting without clear financial and I suspect educational outcomes being established.

I believe our students will once again have their education disrupted and our local polytechnic will be seriously disadvantaged overall as it was when it was forced to amalgamate with Bay of Plenty. lt is clear to see from a local perspective, it has never recovered from that.

I echo our MP Todd McClay's comment of one size doesn't fit all.

Central control of local tertiary polytechnics has clearly in the past not delivered the best results for our local tertiary institute and its students.

No matter how nice sounding the words are describing what is intended with the change, the same central control system will not deliver for our local community in the future.

Grahame Hall
Rotorua

Comedy and curmudgeons

I addressed Jim Adams' letter regarding comedians back in mid-January and find myself forced to respond to your correspondent A.N. Christie who sides with Mr Adams (Letters, February 13). By its very name, the show in question offered a 'variety' of entertainment.

While I concede that I never saw the show, I can guess that there would have been as many busting their girdles laughing at home as there were curmudgeons.

We don't all laugh at the same things. It's a variety show, sit tight, wait, the next act will follow shortly.

William Wright
Glenholme

Captial Gains Tax

If the Capital Gains Tax comes in it will be to the detriment to New Zealand society. There are so many flow-on effects, our rock star economy will take a direct hit.

It's not fair, you are killing the goose that laid the golden egg by knocking the knees out from young people trying to get ahead.

I thought taxes were meant to be fair and if you think your personal tax will go down that just shows how naive you are.

It may go down for the first few years but will soon climb back up and some more.

You might as well rename it as the worker's tax because they are the only ones that get off their backsides and increase their capital gains.

Life is never fair and the sooner people grow a backbone and learn to work their way up instead of handouts the better off New Zealand will be.

Gavin Muir
Rotorua

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